Support assembly for a travel cylinder having rolling contact with the bed of a printing machine

ABSTRACT

A roller cylinder support assembly consisting of an outboard low friction bearing housing which is nested in an inboard recessed thrust washer and a shaft of appropriate dimensions for supporting the same extending axially through the roller cylinder, the roller cylinder bracket yoke of the actuating handle contacting the roller cylinder shaft between the roller cylinder and the thrust washer.

United States Patent I 72] Inventor George R. Furman Glenham, N.Y. 21 1 Appl. No. 756,440 [22] Filed Aug. 30, 1968 [45] Patented May 25, 1971 [73] Assignee Texaco Inc.

New York, N.Y.

[ 54] SUPPORT ASSEMBLY FOR A TRAVEL CYLINDER HAVING ROLLING CONTACT WITH THE BED OF A PRINTING MACHINE 6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] 0.8. CI 101/269, I 100/210, 308/241, 308/135, 308/212, 308/35 [51] Int. Cl B411 3/04 [50] Field of Search 308/20, 35,

212, 135, (M) (Digest), N (Digest), 241',101/269, 56, (RT&TR) (Digest), 354, 355; 100/210 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1.866.910 7/1932 Schmidt et a].

2,063,787 12/1936 Brown 308/212X 2,443,856 6/1948 Hermanny.. 170/133 2,846,251 8/1958 Herbenar 287/85 2,935,939 5/1960 Doherty et al. 101/269 2,976,091 3/1961 Miller, Jr 308/212 3,179,046 4/1965 Maul et al 101/269 3,260,199 7/ 1966 Huntley et a1. l0l/56X 3,272,999 9/1966 Turk 308/35X 3,279,369 10/1966 Wight 101/269 Primary Examiner-Robert E. Pulfrey Assistant Examiner-Clifford D. Crowder Attorneys-K. E. Kavanagh and Thomas H. Whaley ABSTRACT: A roller cylinder support assembly consisting of an outboard low friction bearing housing which is nested in an inboard recessed thrust washer and a shaft of appropriate dimensions for supporting the same extending axially through the roller cylinder, the roller cylinder bracket yoke of the actuating handle contacting the roller cylinder shaft between the roller cylinder and the thrust washer.

PATENIEU HAY25 [an SUPPORT ASSEMBLY FOR A TRAVEL CYLINDER HAVING ROLLING CONTACT WITH THE BED OF A PRINTING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates generally to printing machines and more specifically to hand operated printing machines wherein a hand actuated roller or travel cylinder is used to record data from credit cards. These machines are used frequently in automobile service stations and are located usually at the pump islands where they are exposed to the deleterious effects of the elements, e.g. under low temperature conditions, poor impressions from the credit card being used may result. In an effort to make improvement, the user may attempt makeshift adjustments which can lead to other malfunctionings.

In one widely used imprinter, the bracket extending from the operating handle has enough free play to have abrasive contact with the bearing flanges. This results in an unbalance of forces applied to the handle causing additional force to be applied to move it. Also, the contact is such that extreme wear is found to exist on the faces of the bearing flanges, which is aggravated by the extra force applied to overcome the friction resulting from the abrasive contact.

The invention is applicable to printing devices as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,606,494 and especially to the imprinter disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,279,369, wherein FIGS. 1 and 4 disclose the modus operandi of the hand actuated roller cylinder, the disclosure of the head assembly of which patent is incorporated by this reference. These FIGS. show how the printing head supports the roller cylinder bracket for the imprinter rollers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention comprises the combination in a print roller assembly of a print roller shaft with heat treated ends, a thrust washer with an outboard recess mounted thereon and a closed I end needle bearing assembly having its inboard structure housed in the washer recess.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I shows a head assembly mounted on a phantom chassis assembly of a credit card imprinter;

FIG. 2 shows an elevation view of the printing head assembly, partly in section; and

FIG. 3 shows, in cross section, one end of the roller support assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 discloses, partly in phantom, a printing machine at comprising a chassis assembly indicated at and shown in phantom, and a head assembly at 30.

On the top face 21 of the chassis assembly 20, there are disclosed a plurality of tabulator knobs 22 arranged to move along the plurality of parallel tabulator slots 23, the knobs being set in accordance with the desired readings, indicated at 24, on the top face. Through an intercommunication with appropriate indicating devices, the values, selected according to the readings indicated at 24, are visible through the apertures 25 to serve as a check for the values desired to be recorded.

The head assembly 30, shown in full outline, is presented in order to show the locus of operation of the applicant's device. It comprises generally the top cover having end blocks 31a and 31b, top cover 32, one of the side panels at 33, each of such side panels being spaced from the top cover 32 to define a slot 34 in which the printing head 35 moves.

The printing head 35 comprises the handle 36, FIG. 2, side bracket 37 dependent therefrom and extending through the slot 34, and from which bracket extends a U-shaped yoke 38 having slots at its open ends, at 39, which project around the roller or travel cylinder shaft 400. The roller shaft projects axially through a roller cylinder 41, which may be made of a suitable printin material, e.g. metal or hard plastic, or, where feasible, could e a composite roller of the type impregnated with printing ink.

Referring to the detail in FIG. 3, there is shown the assembly of a plastic thrust washer 42 having an outboard recess therein 42a, while at 43, there is disclosed a roller-bearing housing, shown with an outboard closed end 43a and an inboard flange 43b, having dimensions for filling the recess such that the flange thickness is not greater than the depth of the recess 42a. In a dirt-free environment, an open end bearing housing will perform as well. The end of the roller shaft 40 comprises a smoothly ground journal 40a, the length of which must be such that it does not bottom in the bearing end 43a and force the inboard flange 43b against the rail 44 and so cause flange wear. With an open end bearing, the length is not critical. Also the outer edge of washer 42 provides protection against such contact.

The rail, indicated at 44, determines the printing force imposed upon the roller 41 exerted through the roller bearing housing 43 and through the shaft 40 as the roller passes over the bed 45 of the printing machine, upon which has been positioned in proper relationship a credit card 46 with information embossments thereon and a receipt or invoice 47, upon which the imprinting will be shown.

The journal end besides having a ground finish can be heat I treated along with the shaft adjacent the end, to the extent as shown approximately in the sectioning of the roller in FIG. 3, in order to extend the operational life of the combination, with appropriately chosen hardnesses.

The plastic thrust washer which may be made of nylon, Teflon, the trademark for polytetrafluoroethylene, an acetyl resin or other synthetic material having desirable features such as a reasonable stiffness to transmit side thrust, a low obtainable.

Other modifications and variations of the invention as hereinbefore set forth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore, only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. In a printing machine having a bed and a travel cylinder for rolling contact thereagainst, the improvement comprising a support assembly for said cylinder including a shaft extending axially through said cylinder, a thrust washer for each end thereof, and a low friction bearing positioned outboard of said washer on said each end thereof, said shaft having journal ends, said low friction bearing comprising a roller bearing housing having an inboard flange, said thrust washer having a recess for receiving said inboard flange of said bearing housing.

2. In the improvement as defined in claim 1 said thrust washer comprising a stiff, low friction material.

-3. In the improvement as defined in claim 2, said journal ends and the portions of the shaft adjacent thereto being heat treated.

4. In the improvement as defined in claim 2, said low friction material comprising a plastic selected from the group consisting of an acetyl resin, nylon and polytetrafluoroethylene.

5. In the improvement as defined in claim 4, the depth of the recess in said thrust washer being at least equal to or greater than the width of said inboard flange.

6. In the improvement as defined in claim 2, said low friction material being selected from the group consisting of brass and phosphor bronze. 

1. In a printing machine having a bed and a travel cylinder for rolling contact thereagainst, the improvement comprising a support assembly for said cylinder including a shaft extending axially through said cylinder, a thrust washer for each end thereof, and a low friction bearing positioned outboard of said washer on said each end thereof, said shaft having journal ends, said low friction bearing comprising a roller Bearing housing having an inboard flange, said thrust washer having a recess for receiving said inboard flange of said bearing housing.
 2. In the improvement as defined in claim 1 said thrust washer comprising a stiff, low friction material.
 3. In the improvement as defined in claim 2, said journal ends and the portions of the shaft adjacent thereto being heat treated.
 4. In the improvement as defined in claim 2, said low friction material comprising a plastic selected from the group consisting of an acetyl resin, nylon and polytetrafluoroethylene.
 5. In the improvement as defined in claim 4, the depth of the recess in said thrust washer being at least equal to or greater than the width of said inboard flange.
 6. In the improvement as defined in claim 2, said low friction material being selected from the group consisting of brass and phosphor bronze. 